The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-30
SOME NEW Booxa
The JeeveIutious Of 1sAe.
SECOND ARTICLE.

At the end Of the March risings II seemed
to tho onlooker that the triumph OF constitu-
tionnl liberty had been assured throughout
central Europe. and that the year 1848 would
DO known to history as the beginning Of new
era. Yct 1t needed but few months to dispol
the Illusions Of tho friends Of progress in oil
parts Of Germany. Italy and Austro- Hungary.
except In tho land OF the Magyars, where the
resistance to reaction was most desperate.
Yet. short as II was. the process Of dlsenchant-
ment went through three stnges. which. In Mr.
Maurlco's narrative. nre appropriately termed
tho struggle Of tho races, the dislntegration OF
revolution, and the death struggle Of freedom.
Through these declining stages We will follow
him. although able to mark only those charac'
toristlc and salient points which. through his
special studies. are projected with peculiar
distinctness and precision.
While tie subject peoples Of central Europe
still folt tho gives Of the Metternich system.
they imagined that they had outgrown their
traditional antipathies, and that they were
willing to share with their follow sufferers the
local Independence acquired by thoir Joint
efforts. But that Europe was not ripe for lib
erty In 1s4S Is plain from the painful sudden
ness with which the old rivalries and enmities
broke out after the iron hand Of tyranny was
lifted. Scarcely were Vienna and Prague free
than they auarrelled savagely with one an
other; the Frankfort Parliament had not
framed constitution for united Germany
before 1t hardened it's heart against the Cseoh
the Lombard and the Venetian the Magyars
wero not secure In tho possession OF the fran
chises oxtorted from the HapsburR Kaiser be-
fore they denied equal rights to the Slovak. the
Wallach. the Transylvanian Saxon. the Serb
and the Croat. All Of these lately subject races
soon began to care moro for triumph over their
old enemies than for the safeguarding OF their
own liberties and to sec in the representatives
Of tho absolutist principle rather allies and
protectors than tho implacable antagonists OF
all. Tho revolution OF 1S48, In other words.
committed suicide; 1t was not Russia that
killed It; Gear Nicholas did but deal a death
blow to thing already moribund and retain
ing a lingering vitality only in single vein.
The events cannot be indicated In q ohrono-
logical order. because they were often con-
temporaneous. but Mr.. Maurice has contrivcd
to give us a coherent and effective account Of
the fatal race divisions by beginning with tho
state Of things in southwest Hungary, whore
tho Serbs and Croats had long been treated
with CALLING risor and contempt BY the Magyar
Diet to which tho Hapsburg Emporors had
subjected them. 1t was the revival OF Serb
literature at Neusatz and Carlowitz In Slavonia
that centred at Agram. which should have
convinced Kossuth and his fellow patriots Of
the impossibility Of refusing to the southern
Slavs tho local autonomy which Magyars de-
manded for themselves. The phenomena just
mentioned were at once. OF course. symptoms
and fosterers OF q reawakened consciousness
Of national individuality certain to assert It.
self in political exactions on the first aus
picious opportunity. The Magyars had them
selves to blame for the disastrous fact
that Croat and Serb, who ut the outset would
have gladly been their comrades, were grad
ually transformed into jealous and efficient
champions Of reaction. Tho mistake Of which
MaGyars had offered an example In the coun-
tries historically associated with Hungary.
their kinsmen, the Seekers, who were the
dominant race in Transylvania. made in deal
ing with the descendants Of the medlBval Sax
on colonizers and with tho indigenous WAL
lachs or Roumsnians. From the moment that
these last-named elements iof the Transylvs-
MAN principally were treated with far moro
cruelty by the Seekers and Magysrs than they
had ever suffered ct the hands Of the Aus
TRANS, 1t IL clear that to them the revolution
Of 1s48 must have seemed curse rather than
Q blessing.
The bitterness Of tho antipathy which soon
revealed itself between the Viennese Liberals
and tho Czechs of Prague can be illustrated by
two striking incidents. II generosity and SYM
patty were to be expected anywhere, 1t would
naturally be looked for from the students Of
Vienna and of Prague. who. a. wo have seen.
had taken a leading part in the liberation Of
their respective cities. This. however. 10 what
occurred on two notable occasions. We quote
Mr.. Maurice's account Of the painful facts:
ION June s. 184s. moro than q hundred
students Of Prague started ON o deputation to
their comrades In Vienna On their way they
thouehtit necessary to attack and insult the
German flag wherever 1t was displayed. They
arrived in Vienna to find the Vienness students
suspicious even toward those who had been
their champions at home. and still smarting
from the recollection OF struggle be-
tween their Legion and the National Guards
who had attempted to suppress them. It
was while they were in this state Of irritation
that the Czech students appeared In the hall
Of the university. and. unfortunately. at tho
same time there arrived from Prague tho rep
resentatives Of two German Bohemian clubs.
Some Of tho Viennese leaders urged o recon-
ciliation between the two races; but the news
Of the insults to the German flag 30 Infatuated
tho viennese students that they drove the
Czechs from the hall and ordered them to leave
Vienna within twenty -four hours" The second
lucloout WA5 oven WoEo uoplOrbplos Snu DOt6
even more decisive Witness to the hopelessness
OF any concerted struggle for liberty upon the
part Of Austrian subjects. It Is well known
that on June 10 Windeschgrsta entered Prague
In triumph and stined the revolution
30 far as the Czechs were concern
ed. while Prague was still burning.
and Windeschgratz was still enforcing
martial law, band Of Vienns students arrived
In Prague to congratulate Windeschgrats ON
his victory over the liberties Of Bohemia. Tho
long simmering hatred between the Germans
and Bohemians seems to have found Its climax
In that congratulation." The fall Of Prague in
volved not only the repression OF the Csschs,
but the loss OF q common centre Of deliberation
and Of action for the various Slsvonic races
under Hapsburg rule. Thenceforward tho idea
OF a Slavonio federation for local self-govern-
ment gave way to q desperate contention
against their traditional antagonists, and the
Southern Slavs gradually driitsd into an &C.
ceptanco Of the leadership Of such courtiers
and soldiers as Jellacich. the Ban Of Croatia.
who hated the Magyars as the opponents, not Of
Slavonio freedom but OF imperial despotism.
In northern Italy the battle for freedom